They r to be used only when going for short distances from now on

As many of you have read, the UAE telephone regulator (“TRA”) issued via our great telecom operator, Etisalat, a statement that Blackberry services would cease operations in October. The reason for the stoppage was due to national security concerns.

I can understand the position that the UAE TRA are in especially after the death of that man by the Mossad people in the hotel in Dubai earlier this year. However, my question is, why did they not consider this issue all those years ago when they first brought the Blackberry to these shores.

A concern that has been raised by many bloggers and people generally is that the stoppage of the Blackberry is a way to control the residents of the UAE. There have been ripples of worry by the higher authorities that local Emiratis are getting Blackberries solely to use the BB Messenger service to correspond with other Emiratis without any trace by the authorities. Whilst this is most probably true, BB’s are used by thousands in this country for work purposes (yes BBM is great as we don’t have to pay the telecom’s are hard earned cash for SMS’s – *evil laugh*).

The fact the RIM has had control of our data for all these years is a great concern for me especially as I have dealt with Data Protection for many years. The information that this one company holds of millions of people worldwide is sufficient a reason for the TRA to raise concerns. However, there has to be a better way to mange this issue than stop the service completely.

I am a user of the BB for work. I hate the fact that my work believe that as I have a BB with me, that I will be contactable 24 hours a day. However, its usefulness for my work, especially when I have to travel abroad, far outweighs the cons. To stop the use of the BB will make the country step back to the prehistoric ages (ok 5 years ago) and instead of being a progressive modern nation in the Middle East, we will be ridiculed for our backwardness.

Etisalat has offered free handsets to its BB customers to choose from to replace the BB. I have seen the choice and they are not great. The IPhone is great for personal use but it is rubbish for typing. I could never write a sensible well worded email on my iphone. The Nokia phones on offer do not bring joy to my soul. I have had Nokia phones for years and I know that they build these machines to have a lifespan of nine months only forcing you to get a new phone when your twelve month contract was up. Yes, that’s how they make money but its not acceptable behaviour. I am not one of those people who like buying the brand new hyped up handset as soon as it comes out. It might have been fun a few years back in England when I had to change the phone anyway (thanks Nokia) but now its tiresome and the shops in Dubai love charging extortionate prices for the handsets and providing rubbish after care service (Axiom I am looking at you).  As much as people whinge about the BB it is a well made handset and it has gained it market position due to its easy usability.

I understand that in the background currently RIM and TRA are discussing how to sort this matter out and the nation of BB users are hoping that RIM will allow a server to be installed in the UAE to eliminate this problem. If this happens we can thankfully continue to use our BB. However, our next concern will be whether Big Brother is watching our BB.

Once again it’s that time of the year again when we Muslims fast for 30 days. This year seems to be more unusual for me than normal as I seem to have loads of people saying the same thing in shock – “you’re fasting???” It’s like the weekly shock when people find out I’m Muslim, but it seems to be more infuriating when asked if I’m really fasting.

There seems to be this perception by people in Dubai  that I am not Muslim because I’m outspoken, “modern” and don’t cover up like a good Muslim girl should. I am of the view that religion (and politics) are personal matters and cause too much friction in our world. I therefore decided many years ago that I wouldn’t discuss the topic in public.

How I feel about Allah is my personal choice. I did lose my religion for a few years and it has taken me about four years to rediscover being a Muslim again. But during this time, I dealt with this matter on my own (except for a few conversations with my parents).  My view is that it is Allah/God knows how you feel so why does anyone else need to know. If I want to pray I will pray. If i want to be a Muslim, its for me. If not, well my problem.

I feel strongly as well about people drumming religion into me. My pet peeve, especially at uni when the Al-Qaeda cells were trying to recruit me, is hearing people tell me, their Sister, how I should be a good Muslim woman. My retort was generally “Fuck off you twat”.

I know that I am not literate on my religion, but I also know that when the time is right I will learn more. Anyway I have read the Quran in full. That’s more than a lot of so-called good Muslims.

But anyway back to Ramadan. I don’t get excited like some people do when it comes close to Ramadan. Usually the feeling I feel is of dread. I’m a pansy and not eating, drinking, swearing or doing anything else for so many hours gives me shudder. But yet I still fast. You might wonder why. I actually don’t know why I do it, but I know it feels right when I fast and I do lose weight so it’s a bonus.

One part of fasting is to learn tolerance and I’m finding it really really hard this year. I have had people  continuously questioning if I’m really fasting, taking the piss out of me or asking me if it’s my first time. How many times can you answer the bloody question and try to convince people that you really are Muslim and yes I’m really fasting. I’ve been fasting since I was at grammar school. During those years, it was summer in the UK  so we had long hours, good weather and school. Try fasting during those times and then come whinging to me. I’m hardcore and no one bloody believes me in this town! The irony is that I would never get questioned like this in the UK. Friends would just accept it as something that I did as a Muslim, respect my choice and be kind enough to not eat in front of me or drink coffee (fasting and the smell of coffee don’t go).

Should I care that people perceive me to be this anarchist, atheist, pretend Muslim?? No, not really. But I need to respond to these doubters just to shut them up.

Of course there are a few people who have genuinely asked me whether I am fasting and have been sweethearts and I thank them for their wishes, but to the ones that just want to take the piss. Fuck off and start fasting, then come bother me.